Portable boat hoist



1965 a. L- GODBERSEN PORTABLE/BOAT HOIST 3 Sheets-Sheet ,1

Filed Feb. 12, 1964 //VV/VTO/? 51- 20 1. 60055255 Feb. 16, 1965 B. L. GODBERSEN PORTABLE BOAT HOIST 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 12, 1964 7M7 Mk,

ATTO/P/VEV Feb. 16, 1965 B. GODBERSEN 3,169,644

PORTABLE BOAT HOIST Filed Feb. 12, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ikwwm United States Patent 3,169,644 PORTABLE BOAT HOIST Byron L. Godbersen, Ida Grove, Iowa Filed Feb. 12, 1964, Ser. No. 344,497 2 Claims. (Cl. 214-1) This invention relates to boat hoists in general, and more particularly to a boat hoist useable as a trailer for transporting a boat on land, and for moving the boat into and out of Water at the waters edge, as a hoist for lowering the boat into the water and for raising it out of the water, and as a portable platform for supporting the boat above the water, or ground as the case may be, for storage purposes.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and novel portable boat hoist.

It is another object of this invention to provide a hoist capable of transporting and storing a boat on dry land.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hoist capable of moving a boat into and out of water at the waters edge.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hoist capable of lowering and raising a boat into and out of the water easily, and capable of securing the boat against accidental lowering.

Yet another object of this invention is the provision of a hoist which makes docking and launching of a boat easier.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a hoist where mechanical raising and lowering of the boat can be accomplished from inside the boat, as can adjusting of the length of the legs for the hoist. Furthermore, the legs of the hoist are adjustable to adapt the hoist to a level position on any inclined bottom surface.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a hoist to which wheels can easily be removed from and secured to while the hoist is floating in the water by means of the boat secured thereto, enabling an effortless handling of the wheels after or prior to land transportation.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel hoist wherein by providing alternately useable lift connections with the structure cooperable therewith, a boat can be floated under a platform thereof, a base frame of the hoist can be moved upwardly beneath the boat, and the hoist can be transported on the boat over water to another dock site.

Yet another object of this invention is the provision of a hoist capable of attaining the above designated objectives which is economical to manufacture, rugged in construction, and effective in operation.

These objects and other features and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent upon reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the hoist in the water and supporting a boat shown in dotted lines;

FIGS. 2 through 4 are reduced pictorial illustrations of various stages of use of the hoist;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, perspective view of a corner post of the hoist, parts broken away for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged pictorial view of attaching a winch cable to a yoke structure;

FIGS. 7 through 11 are additional reduced pictorial illustrations of other stages of use of the hoist.

Referring now to the drawings, the portable hoist of this invention is indicated generally at 18 in FIG. 1, and is shown supporting a boat 19, indicated by dotted lines,

above the water of a lake or the like, the hoist 18 in turn standing on the inclined bottom 20 of the lake.

In general the hoist 18 comprises a left frame 21 (FIG. 1) and a right frame 22 interconnected by a pair of spacers 23, a front yoke 24 and a rear yoke 25 pivotally connected to the frames 21 and 22. A stabilizer bar 26 is secured by a pair of pivot pins 27 to the corner posts, the left end of the bar 26 being broken away in FIG. 1 to show the left pin.

A platform 28 for normally supporting the boat 19 is supported on the yokes 24 and 25, and is pivotal upwardly and downwardly relative to the base frame (the left and right frames 21 and 22) by means of a winch unit 29 mounted on the right front corner post. An electric drive unit 31 is provided for rotating the winch wheel 32, although manual rotation can also be used.

Specifically, the right frame 21. (FIG. 1) includes an upright lower tubular post 33 (see FIG. 5) adapted to receive a leg 34 with a base pad 36, and an upright upper tubular guide post 37 which slides down over the leg 34 and against the lower post 33. A plurality of vertically spaced passages 38 are formed in the leg 34, whereby the leg can be adjustably secured to the posts 33 and 37 by a pair of pins 39 and 41 insertable through respective holes formed in the posts, and into respective passages 38. The upper end 42 of each guide post 37 is bent at an angle so as to extend away from the side of a boat. The right frame 22 (FIG. 1) includes further a stub tube 43 secured adjacent the bottom of each lower post 33, and a long connector tube 44 extended at right angles to the two stub tubes 43. A U-shaped axle support member 46 is secured in an inverted manner on the connector tube 44 and is provided with an opening 47 and a standard mounting (not shown) for receiving a wheel 48 (FIG. 2). A brace 49 is secured between the support member 46 and the guide post 37 as illustrated.

The left frame 21 (FIG. 1) is identical with the right frame 22 except that a stabilizer bar 26 is not necessaryit maybe used at ones option, and the brace 49 is replaced by a gusset'51. To connect the left and right frames 21 and 22 together, the spacers 23 are inserted at their opposite ends into the respective pair of stub tubes 43 until holes formed therein align and bolt fasteners 52 can be inserted and fastened.

The rear yoke 25 (FIG. 1) is pivoted to the pivot pins 27 on the outer sides of rear guide posts 37 and includes a triangular lift plate 53, a lift arm 54, and a lift bar 56 interconnected therebetween.

It can readily be observed that the rear, U-shaped yoke 25 is pivotal from a raised position of FIG. 1, with the lift bar 56 contiguous with the guide posts 37, to a lowered position where the lift bar 56 engages the lower posts 33 adjacent the connector tubes 44.

The front yoke 24 (FIG. 1) also has a triangular lift plate 57, referred to hereinafter as a transport plate, pivotally mounted on the pivot pin 27 between the stabilizer bar 26 and the guide post 37, a lift arm 58 pivotally mounted on the opposite pin 27, and a lift bar 59 interconnected therebetween. The front yoke 24 is movable between raised and lowered positions comparable to those of rear yoke 25.

The plates 53 and 57 are connected-by a connecting rod 61. It will be appreciated that movement of, for example, the front yoke 24 is transmitted to the rear yoke 25 by the connecting rod 61 whereby both yokes move simultaneously. For a purpose explained hereinafter, a transport link 62 is pivotally connected to a portion of the transport plate 57 opposite the portion to which the lift bar 59 is connected, with the pivot pin 27 intermediate the two connections. A key slot 63 is formed in the free end of the link 62.

The boat supporting platform 28 comprises a pair of parallel, elongated, inverted U-shaped spacer members 64 and 66. Each spacer member is provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced ears 67 (only one showing) at each end. Each pair is adapted to fit over a lift bar on the inner side of a collar 68 on the lift bar. The collars limit lateral movement of the platform 28 on the lift bars 56 and 59. A bolt and spacer unit (not shown) connect each pair of cars 67 beneath a lift bar.

Connected across the front and rear ends of the parallel spacer members 64 and 66 are a pair of transversely eX- tended, parallel boat plank units 69, each of which includes a wooden plank 71. Each plank unit 69 has a pair of longitudinally extended stubs 72 adapted to telescopically slide into and out of the open ends of the spacer members 64 and 66. Bolts (not shown) are insertable through the members and into spaced passages (not shown) in the stubs to retain the plank unit 69 at adjustable locations.

To raise and lower the platform 28 relative to the frames 22 and 23, when the latter are stationary, the winch unit 29 includes a chain 70 one end of which is attachable around an exposed end of the front lift bar 59. The winch unit 29 is geared to a ratio of approximately 100-1 for easy rotation of the Wheel 32 to effect lifting of the platform 28, and includes a clutch-brake (not shown) which holds the platform 28 against accidental lowering.

To effect a rapid rotation of the winch wheel 32, the electric drive unit 31 is provided. The unit 31 comprises a bracket 73 rotatably mounted by a sleeve 74 on the upper end of the corner post, and includes further a motor pivot 76 for holding a hp. motor 77 with a rubber drive wheel78. A handle 79 with a motor base 81 integral therewith is secured to the pivot 76 for rocking the drive wheel 7 8 into engagement with the winch wheel 32. The motor 77 is equipped with a mercury swtich which operates the motor when the handle 79 is lifted. I In use of the hoist 18,'it is readily transported over land when the wheels 48 (FIG. 2) are mounted, and with a pair of tongues 82 connected to bracket units 83 (FIG. 1) provided therefor on the front posts. The front ends of the tongues are connected to a conventional hitch unit on the rear bumper of a vehicle 84. It will be noted that when the hoist 18 is being used to transport a boat 19 on land, the platform 28 is in'its lowestposition, opposite that shown in FIG. 2. In addition to the boat being strapped tothe yokes 24 and 25, the chain 70 has been disconnected from the front lift bar 59 and secured to the transport link 62. The chain 70 has then been tightened to actually pull and rotate the transport plate 57 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2, as compared to the plate 57 rotating clockwise under the weight of the platform 28 and the boat 19, with the chain 70 playing out. 7

To install the hoist 18 in the waterwith the boat 19 thereon, it is backed into the water by the vehicle 84 until the entire combinationfloats (FIG. 3). The tongues 62 are then removed, and the wheels 48, are easilytaken off, there being no weight thereon and the wheels being buoyant. Remove all straps. The winch unit 29 is then operated to lower the frame, the platform 29 remaining stationary as it is up against the bottom of the boat, until the stabilizer bar 26 is even with the level of the water (FIG. 4). The hoist 18 is then moved forward until the front pads 36 touch the bottom 20.

By removing the rear pins 39 and 41 from the posts 33 and 37, the rear legs 34 may then be adjustably lowered until their pads touch bottom 20. The pins are then re-inserted. With the hoist 18 thus leveled, the winch is then manipulated to let out the chain 70. It is unhooked from the transport link 62 and hooked to the front lift bar 59 (FIG. 6). The hoist 18 is then ready to be operated. It should be noted here, that when the hoist 18 was in the FIG. 3 position, it could be moved across the water while strapped to the boat 19.

However, FIGS. 7-11 disclose the adaptability of the hoist 18 and the utilization of the transport plate 57 in being pulled upwardly in either a clockwise or a counter-' clockwise direction. To move the hoist by boat by Supporting the hoist18 on the boat 19, if the hoist 18 itself has just been backed into the water as illustrated in FIG. 7, unhook the chain from the transport link 62, hook it to the front bar 59 (FIG. 6), and raise the platform 28 to its highest position.

Then bring up a boat and float it beneath the raised platform 28 (PEG. 7). Lower the platform 28 onto the top of the boat 19, and then unhook the chain 70 from the lift bar 59 and hook it to the transport link By rotating the winch unit 29 to pull in the cable 70 'the frame will actually be raised relative to the new stationary platform 28 (FIG. 8). Then, after removing the wheels 48, and prior to any lowering of the legs, the hoist can be transported across the lake to another dock by the boat (FIG. 9). There, lower the frame by letting out the chain 70 until the stabilizer bar 26 is even with the water level. Adjust the legs 34 (FIG. 10) as described hereinbefore, lower the chain 70, unhook it from the link 62, attach it to the front lift bar 59, and raise the platform upwardly and away from the boat 19 (FI 11). The boat can then be floated away from the hoist 13, with the hoist in operable condition.

In summation, a novel portable hoist has been described hereinbefore which is capable not only of transporting and storing a boat on land, of moving a boat into water and retrieving it therefrom, and of raising and lowering the boat in the water, but of having parts alter= nately movable relative to each other downwardly and upwardly against a boat for transport thereby across the water.

This is a continuation-in-part of a copending application, Serial No. 75,694, now abandoned. Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been described herein, it is to be remembered that various modifications and alternate constructions can be made thereto without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invem tion as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A portable boat hoist comprising in combination:

a base frame;

a pair of vertically disposed posts at each end of said base frame;

a plate having spaced ends and pivotally connected intermediate its ends to one of said posts;

a trio of lift members pivotally connected to the re maining posts;

means interconnecting said plate with one of said lift members at an opposite end of the base frame for transmitting movement therebetween; a first bar interconnecting one end of said plate with a transversely spaced lift member;

another bar interconnecting said other pair of lift members;

platform means interconnecting said bars;

lift means mounted on said base frame and attachable to said first bar and operable to raise said platform means above said base frame a sufficient distance to permit the boat to float therebetween, said lift means operable to lower said platform means from said raised position to a position on top of said boat, and said lift means attachable to amend of said plate opposite said one end for raising said base. frame toward said platform and against the boat underside.

2. A portable boat hoist comprising in combination;

a base frame;

a pair of vertically disposed posts at each end of said base frame;

a plate having a pair of ends and pivotally connected intermediate its ends to one of said posts;

a trio of lift members pivotally connected to the remaining posts;

means interconnecting said plate with one of said lift members at an opposite end of the base frames for transmitting movement therebetween;

a first bar interconnecting one end of said plate with a transversely spaced lift member;

another bar interconnecting said other pair of lift members;

a platform interconnecting said rods and movable from a position supporting the boat to a position supported on said boat; and

lift means including a Winch mounted on said base frame, said winch having a cable attachable to one end of said plate to move said plate and said platform through a one hundred and eighty degree are, said lift means cable detachable from said one end and attachable to said other end of said plate to move in response to operation of said winch, said base frame relative to said platform. 7

No references cited. 

1. A PORTABLE BOAT HOIST COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A BASE FRAME; A PAIR OF VERTICALLY DISPOSED POSTS AT EACH END OF SAID BASE FRAME; A PLATE HAVING SPACED ENDS AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS TO ONE OF SAID POSTS; A TRIO OF LIFT MEMBERS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE REMAINING POSTS; MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID PLATE WITH ONE OF SAID LIFT MEMBERS AT AN OPPOSITE END OF THE BASE FRAME FOR TRANSMITTING MOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN; A FIRST BAR INTERCONNECTING ONE END OF SAID PLATE WITH A TRANSVERSELY SPACED LIFT MEMBER; ANOTHER BAR INTERCONNECTING SAID OTHER PAIR OF LIFT MEMBERS; PLATFORM MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID BARS; LIFT MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID BASE FRAME AND ATTACHABLE TO SAID FIRST BAR AND OPERABLE TO RAISE SAID PLATFORM MEANS ABOVE SAID BASE FRAME A SUFFICIENT DISTANCE TO PERMIT THE BOAT TO FLOAT THEREBETWEEN, SAID LIFT MEANS OPERABLE TO LOWER SAID PLATFORM MEANS FROM SAID RAISED POSITION TO A POSITION ON TOP OF SAID BOAT, AND SAID LIFT MEANS ATTACHABLE TO AN END OF SAID PLATE OPPOSITE SAID ONE END FOR RAISING SAID BASE FRAME TOWARD SAID PLATFORM AND AGAINST THE BOAT UNDERSIDE. 